ALTON — A Precious Organization’s “6th Annual Walk for Sickle Cell” on Saturday promises fun and camaraderie under sunny skies while raising money to help people with the devastating genetic disease.

Registration will begin at 8 a.m. at near the JoAnn Dillon Tennis Courts at the front of Rock Spring Park, 2116 College Ave., Alton, for those who have not pre-registered. Cost is $25 for walkers age 13 and older, and $15 for children ages 6-12.

The 1-mile walk will start at 10 a.m. and proceed along the new sidewalk along College Avenue and on paved roads inside the park. After the walk, at about noon, there will be an awards ceremony, music, food, family games and give-aways for paid participants.

Cleanup will start at 2 p.m.

Alton Alderwoman Tammy Smith, 4th Ward, once again is holding the event to educate the community about the disease; improve healthcare for individuals affected by sickle cell disease; and raise funds for her group’s local outreach. Her daughter Precious, for whom she founded and named the non-profit organization, has sickle cell disease.

The walk corresponds with September being National Sickle Cell Awareness Month.

Among those planning to participate is Mary Buckley and her team, Buckley’s Precious Ones, who are returning for the sixth time.

“She is a retired teacher from the Alton School District,” Smith said. “She was Precious’ 5th grade teacher. She has always cared about Precious. Mrs. Buckley has been very supportive since the first walk and we love and appreciate her, along with all of the other families, teams and sponsors, that are walking in memory of their loved ones or just celebrating the life of those that are living with this horrible and painful disease.”

Smith, who is director of A Precious Organization, previously said her daughter has one type of the inherited disease; and her grandson has another variation of sickle cell. Smith said previously she carries the trait for the illness.

When both biological parents carry a trait, each child they produce has a 25 percent of contracting the disease, she said. People with the lifelong condition have a mutation of crescent-shaped red blood cells that causes them pain and can result in serious health problems.

“Complications can include episodes (crisis), anemia (low hemoglobin), organ damage, infections, lung problems, leg ulcers, bone damage and strokes,” she said prior to a prior walk. “A lot of people in this area have the trait.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website (https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/sicklecell/data.html) sickle cell disease affects about 100,000 Americans, including one out of every 365 African-American births and one out of every 16,300 Hispanic births; and 1 in 13 African-American babies are born with sickle cell traits.

People may go to: www.apreciousorganization.org for more information on the organization, the disease, Saturday’s walk, to become a sponsor or to make a donation. People also may mail donations to P.O. Box 1184, Alton, Illinois 62002. For additional information, call (618) 975-9020, (618) 593-4961 or (314) 922-0575.